Improvement in safety trace-catches for carriages



0; REINHOLD. Safety Trace-Catch for Carriages.

Nd. 215,678. Patented May-20,1879.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

CHARLES REINHOLD, OF PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY TRACE-CATCHES FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,678, dated May .0, 1879; application filed February 5, 1879.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES REINHOLD, of Prairie du Chien, in the county of Crawford and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Carriages, Carts, &c., of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a plan View, showing the invention applied to a pair of single shafts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a view, in partial perspective, also in section, showing invention applied to a double'team tongue.

The object of the present invention is to pro vide means for prevention of accident and damage when for any cause the whiffletree, cross-bar, cockeye end of the trace, or any of the means of draft give out or break; and said invention consists more. particularly in providing a stop or detent for the traces or yokes to engage upon when from any cause the usual draft gear or attachments become useless or inoperative.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes a pair of shafts for a single horse, and B the cross-bar, to which the whiffletree C is attached in any usual way. The traces D are so placed in the clips or forks E as to have a free and easy motion back and forth. These clips or forks are fixed to or on each shaft near the whiffletree, but sufficiently far from it not to interfere with the usual movements of the whiffletree.

In the traces, near their rear ends, are fixed pins d, which will come behind the clips or forks E, but will in no manner whatever interfere with the usual operation of the traces. When, now, any accident shall occur to the carriage orharness, as by breaking the cross-bar,whiffietree, or the eyes to which the traces are fixed to the whiffletree or to the rear part of the traces, so that the usual means of draft shall become deranged or useless, it will happen that the pins (1 will come against the clips or forks E, and afford adequate means for the draft, and effectually prevent all accident.

I have now shown the clips or forks E made with parallel fingers 0, through which the traces can readily move, and into-which they can easily be placed; but I do not intend to limit myself to this exact form or method of construction, since the mere shape or form has nothing to do with the main point I have in view in this invention.

To apply this invention to the pole of a wagon for two horses 1 place the headed stop D in a socket in the pole F, near its front end, so that it shall be forward of the link g, by which the yoke Gr is'fitted or hung upon the pole, in the usual way, before the angle-piece or stay f. A spring, d, is coiled round under the head of D, and thus the stop D will always be retained in its place in the pole, even if the spring should by chance become broken or disconnected, and by gravity alone would most probably perform all the designed purposes.

In this construction, if any accident or break, as above alluded to, should occur, the link g will then catch upon or against the stop D, and in this way a snfficient means for draft will be secured, and all danger or harm from such accident or break will be prevented.

The stop 1) can be easily raised when the yoke-link is to be set upon or removed from the pole in hitching up or unhitching the horses.

This invention can be applied to carriages or vehicles of any description, and at small cost. can be made very strong and durable.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with shafts A, the clip or fork E, substantially as described.

2. The combination of shafts A, having clip or fork E, and trace D, having a stop, (1, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES REINHOLD.

Witnesses CHAS. BRAGHER, ED. WIESLERANDER.

It is not unsightly nor cumbersome, and 

